Flash lamp packaging



Sept. 16, 1958 M. WERNER FLASH LAMP PACKAGING Filed July 8, 1955Moo-Own.

INVENTOR MAX WERNE United States Patent FLASH LAMP PACKAGING Max Werner,Hamburg, Germany, assignor, by mesne assignments, to North AmericanPhilips Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of DelawareApplication July 8, 1955, Serial No. 520,808

Claims priority, application Germany August 18, 1954 3 Claims. (Cl.206-65) As is well known, photographic flash lamps comprise a sealedglass bulb which contains an ignition filament and a material which iscapable of combustion with the emission of actinic light. The contactsof the filament pass out of the bulb through a pinch and are connectedto a lamp cap. When the lamp is ignited, the material which is enclosedin the glass bulb reacts actinically and generates a temperature suchthat the glass bulb is likely to be shattered as by an explosion. Thephotographer and the person to be photographed might be cut or theirclothes might be burned by the hot glass splinters which fly about.

For this reason the glass bulb of flash lamps are provided with atransparent protective shroud, i. e. they are usually coated with a thinlacquer layer. This lacquer layer keeps together the glass splinterswhich are produced when the lamp bulb bursts and thus prevents theseparate splinters from being scattered as by an explosion.

In order that the lacquer layer may function in this manner it mustcover the glass bulb completely and consequently should not be crackedor damaged. The manufacture of such a flawless protective shroud isdifficult and expensive. The protective shroud should also remainundamaged during use of the flash lamp. Consequently flash lampsprovided with such protective shrouds must be inserted in an additionalpacking when they are transported. In practice, usually a number offlash lamps are packed in a small carton, and they are removed from thiscarton only a short time before use. Therefore single flash lamps mustin no event be transported loose in the users pocket or the like, sincethis may damage the thin lacquer layer, so that upon ignition of theflash lamp the photographer is likely to be cut or burned.

The additional wrapping envelope for flash lamps, however, generally isinconvenient when a few separate lamps are transported. In addition, thepacking renders the flash lamps considerably more expensive.

According to the invention the above-mentioned disadvantages of theusual packing for flash lamps are obviated in that the packing issecured undetachably to the lamp and itself acts as a transparentprotective shroud.

Consequently, the new packing acts not only as the usual lacquer layerwhich is applied by a laborious process, but also as the additionalcarton. This ensures a high saving in cost. It is an important advantageof the packing in accordance with the invention that the wrappingenvelope may consist of a material which is so sturdy, resilient andalso transparent; more particularly a synthetic resin, for example afoil of polyvinyl chloride that mechanical damage of the glass bulb orof the envelope itself cannot occur even with rough treatment. The flashlamps may thus be carried singly in a pocket without any risk; for dueto the fact that the packing which acts as the protective shroud issecured undetachably to the lamp it is not likely to become detachedtherefrom.

"ice- The lamp end which carries the contact terminals extends beyondthe transparent wrapping envelope so that the flash-lamp can be insertedwithout difliculty in the holder of a reflector without the need for anyalteration of the wrapping envelope.

Preferably the transparent wrapping envelopes of a plurality of adjacentflash-lamps are connected together in a manner such that they canreadily be detached. This permits of coiling the wrapping envelopescontaining the flash-lamps after the manner of a machine-gun feed strip,the lamps being detached from this strip as required. As a result thestorage of the lamps is facilitated.

Preferably the wrapping envelopes of a plurality of adjacent lampscontained in the packing are made from a coherent strip of the wrappingmaterial, adjacent envelopes of the strip-shaped packing which containsa number of lamps being connected together by foil-shaped connectingportions which can readily be severed.

The invention will now be described more fully with reference to twoembodiments thereof given, by Way of example, in the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a number of flash-lamps which are enclosed in awrapping envelope with some clearance,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Figure 1,

Fig. 3 is a side view of a number of flash-lamps contained in a wrappingenvelope which narrowly engages the entire surface of the lamp bulbs,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of Figure 3, and

Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically a number of flash lamps which are coiledup after the manner of a machine-gun feed strip.

Glass bulbs 1 of flash lamps are provided with the usual lamp caps 2.Each glass bulb 1 is enclosed by a wrapping envelope 3 made fromtransparent toil-shaped material which narrowly fits the neck of the cap2, the contact terminals 4 of the ignition wire contained in the glassbulb 1 projecting beyond the envelope. The wrapping envelopes 3 areconnected together by means of intermediate parts 5 which can be readilysevered so that a packaging shaped into the form of a feed strip isproduced. The resultant packaging can be coiled up into a spiral formand thus can be carried as is shown in Fig. 5.

The wrapping envelopes 3 may consist of a stripshaped synthetic resinfoils, for example polyvinyl chloride foils, between which the flashlamps 1 are interposed. The seams 5' and 6 of the wrapping envelopes 3are closed tight, preferably by welding.

Figs. 2, and 4 show a packing similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2;however, in this embodiment the wrapping envelopes 3 made of foil-shapedmaterial narrowly engage the flash lamp bulbs.

In this embodiment also the connecting parts 5 can be produced bywelding or the like.

When a flash lamp must be inserted in a reflector for use, it is takenfrom the packing in a simple manner by severing it together with itswrapping envelope from the adjacent envelope along the seam. This can beeffected in a simple manner with the aid of a knife or a pair ofscissors. When the wrapping envelopes are provided with a perforation 7along their seams, detaching a single lamp can be effected without theuse of a tool.

When the lamp is ignited to produce a flash, the novel packing acts as aprotective shroud and ensures that the photographer is not cut by glasssplinters if the lamp bulb should explode.

The foil from which the wrapping envelope is made may consist of anytransparent synthetic resin, provided that it is tough and strong enoughto act as a splinter guard and on the other. hand can readily be shapedinto the required form by welding. In addition to polyvinyl chloridefoils use may, for example, be made of foils from poly-ethylene orcellulose acetate.

If required, the foil-shaped wrapping envelopemay he made from colouredsynthetic resin so that theirequire; ments of colour. photography can besatisfied wgifltout, difficulty. In addition, such foils canbegreadilyandjpera manently printed so that the wrapping envclopecanheprovided with the required data, directions" for useiand' the likewithout difliculty.

What is claimed is:

1. A package for flash lamps of the type susceptihle to explosion uponuse each having a bulb portion, and.

a base provided with contacts thereon comprising an) readily-detachable,strip-shaped members connecting said transparent protective sheaths,said protective sheaths surrounding said bulb portions of said flashlamps and leaving the base contacts exposed.

2. A package for flash lamps as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidstrip-shaped members are perforated.

3. A package for flash lamps as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidpackage, material is a synthetic resin.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES- PATENTS1,625,591 Chase Apr. 19, 1927 1,710,393 Williams Apr. 23, 1929 2,114,201Wright et a1 April 12, 1938 2,326,004 Barrett Aug. 3, 1943 2,613,991Schindler Oct. 14, 1952 2,619,227 Arthur Nov. 25, 1952

